I was cleaning out my parent's house after my father passed away this year (mother passed away 3 1/2 years ago) and I found a yo-yo quilt. I promise to post a pic when my camera battery charges (hate it when I grab the camera for a pic and it won't work! lol)

I remember this quilt from when I was younger and my mother showed it to me. She was going to make one herself, but never got further than a tin full of yo-yo's. I'm sure she told me where she got the quilt, but I can't remember. I like to think it's a family heirloom, but can't be 100% certain. She did a lot of yard sale shopping back then.

It is obviously quite old and some of the yo-yo's are coming apart. I want to stitch them back together, but I'm wondering if I should start at one corner and re-do all the stitching - or maybe leave original stitching in and do catch each one with an additional stitch or two? It has that old musty smell also and I'm wondering how to get that out. I thought of putting it in the washer on soak, but I'm afraid the spin cycle will be too rough. I also considered putting it on the dryer rack in the dryer on steam to see if that helps. Anyone with suggestions for handling vintage quilts greatly appreciated!

I would only stitch it where it is needed.

Pics at last...

Gorgeous!!!

Beautiful! I have a tin full of yo yos and going to make something some day. I would only sew it back together where it is needed.

I"d probably just soak it in the tub, using some Arm and Hammer washing soda, or Borax. Rinse well, gently squeeze out water, roll in a towel and spread out to dry. Someone posted about stuff called Retro Clean that is suppose to be really good for old linens, maybe see about using that.

Yea, the Retro Clean looks really interesting. I would google that and see what you think. Best of luck!

Its a beautiful yo-yo quilt, by the way....wish I had one.

Amazing the patience that it takes. I guess if you are snowed in it is a great pasttime. I saw one like this up in Murphy NC one time. Beautiful and a treasure since it has family history.

Blessings, Ruth

This is so beautiful. What a great find. That took a whole lot of work. Should be cherished. Thanks for sharing. :thumbup:

I agree, soaking in a tub, and laying out to dry. Also, stitching where needed. Beautiful!! Wish I had the patience!

It will be treasured in my home for sure! If nothing more, it was my mother's. I know her great-grandmother was a quilter. One of my distant cousins has a quilt that she made. She passed away in 1905. Not sure this one is that old... maybe someone on here with more fabric knowledge can date the fabric. Otherwise, I'm unaware of anyone in the family quilting. Now I'm trying! Maybe a recessed gene?

Am a BIG yo-yo fan and this quilt is priceless (in my eyes). Thank you for sharing.

That is a beautiful family heirloom. I hope someone else in your family will treasure it when you're gone.

Just looked up the post on Retro Clean. Wow! That looks amazing! I'm going to try that. Thanks for the tip.

Looking at the fabrics, I would say the oldest it is would be the 20's or 30's. I would probably fix the holes before I washed it. Very delicate and feminine!

I would be inclined to want to put a few stitches in where it looks needed, after a careful examination.

Sure is a beaut!!

Its beautiful!

Oxy-clean take out smells, smoke if any, other stuff that dulls colors. Add a touch of detergent. Just soak it, squish it, rinse it, and lay to dry most of the way. You might finish off teh drying in your dryer.

You've got a winner.

I agree, the fabrics seem to be maybe some from the 20's, more likely the 30's. I'd try soaking it in a tub, but place a bedsheet in the tub first and use it as a support for the yo-yo top. You may find more of the thread deteriorates, depending on where it was stored. I wouldn't put it in a dryer. My Mom's church group had a very old yo-yo top that they stitched to a dark flannel fabric - that really made the colors "sing" and made it a lot easier to handle and use.

Maybe somewhere on the quilt you will find initials or a date. Wouldn't that be great! When you are sewing an area, make sure you look at every piece. I love how the sides are finished. I never saw that before. I, too, would recommend you attach to another piece of previously washed fabric, maybe a light pink sheet. That would bring out some of the colors. I love it!

Absolutely stunning quilt. I too love the yo-yo's though I don't have the experience nor patience to make one. enjoy yours and show it off every opportunity you have as it is gorgeous

That's a beauty and I swear by Retro Clean- I've used it on some nasty things and it works like magic!! :)

Put it in the Freezer over night and the smell will be gone the next day. :D

I was given a couple of old vintage quilt tops that had a heavy musty smell. I didn't want to wash them before they were quilted, so I spread them outdoors out of the sun, but on warm sunny days. I put them out each day, for a few days, until the musty smell was gone. It worked fine, and I didn't have to run the risk of washing them before they were quilted.

Washing by hand and gently rolling in a blanket or towels to blot are good things to do. Do not apply heat/steam. Might set the smell in the fabric. Airing on a nice day, outside in the shade helps eliminate odors also. Quilt Fan

I made 765 yo-yos. I made a few each night waatching TV. I hope to get the quilt done by April for my daughter's birthday. She is going to be 21.. I guess you can guess what I am doing after the frist of the year. ME

I am in the process of making a yo yo quilt. Long way from completing it, tho. Thanks for sharing this pic. I was wondering how to finish off the edges. I love the way this one is finished!

I have a vintage yo-yo quilt also that I purchased about three years ago. It has just a couple of broken threads, and honestly I've done nothing about them, though I know I should. It hangs from a wall quilt rack in my living room (and I do worry that I'm distorting it by doing that - I do re-fold it a few times a year though). It had just a slight odor when I bought it, so I laid it on my bed at the time, and gave it a light spraying with febreeze.

What a beautiful piece a real treasure

What a beautiful find. I think you should have it repaired and appraised. ;) And just treasure it. Pickle

Oh what a lovely yo yo quilt.
In summer I sent out requests from family and friends so that I can make one using the yo yo maker. Oh how easy that makes the yo yos. I wondered what to so for the sides as the only alternative I had seen until this time was to make xes out of light fabric and finish lining it up with Vs on the side similar to what this look like. As I really want to get started putting it together soon, I will do the sides like your great find. Oh, what a lovely keepsake.
Mine is all sorts of fabrics including darks although I started out with all lights and mediums. What family sent is an assortment of fabrics including holiday fabric.
I want to keep record of some that each sent.

It is a beautiful yo-yo quilt. I would stitch only where needed, unless you can tell that there are other areas that look weak. I love the way the sides are finished. Lovely piece of work.

HOW LOVELY!!!! i have a yo-yo maker and yes, it does make them easier & faster - still takes a lot of time. can't imagine how long it took for this quilt. Love it!!!!

I agree, do npt wash in the washer or put in the dryer. Hand was with Woolite and ring out in a towel and lay flat to dry. Very beautiful!

How precious! What a blessing....I'm very happy for you!

I repaired a yo-yo quilt for one of my daughter's customers and I checked each and every one. If any looked like it would come loose, I went over the the stitching and did all those that were obviously seperated. Also, check the gathering thread. It is time consuming but the end result is worth it.

I just finished a smaller yo-yo quilt and I would reattach each so that it doesn't distort further. This is beyond pretty and priceless, history alone makes it so.

If the quilt is made all out of scraps... doesn't it make you wonder what the original projects were, that the pieces were left over from?

I wonder if it would be acceptable to get a nice wide backing fabric and tack the yo-yo's to that.

I would consider it a family heirloom - starting with you Mom. If it were mind I would tack it to a plain white backing fabric which would avoid the "back of the fabric peeking through" look and if you wanted to create a label with it's history.

Left along with just added stitches here and there would keep it too fragile for future handling, in my opinion.

Now I know what to do with all the "travel project" yo-yo's I'm accumulating! ;) Thanks for sharing the pics.